Dennis Nett/The Post-Standard, file photo, 2008Community General's chief executive officer Tom Quinn sent a memo to employees Tuesday that the hospital is proposing a "bridge agreement" with the union representing workers as the hospital works on a proposed merger with Upstate University Hospital. The contract with 1199 SEIU expires April 30.

A union official is accusing Community General and Upstate University hospital executives of trying to secretly railroad through a proposed merger of the institutions.

Ruth Heller, vice president of 1199SEIU, which represents about 900 Community workers, said when Upstate and Community began merger talks they pledged to communicate with union leaders and recognize the importance of the work forces at both facilities.

“It seems like this is all going out the window and they are talking behind closed doors,” Heller said.

Heller’s comments came in response to a letter sent to Community employees Tuesday by Community chief executive officer Tom Quinn that reported management is proposing a “bridge agreement” with 1199SEIU. That agreement would extend most aspects of the Community workers’ existing labor contract when it expires April 30 until Upstate’s proposed acquisition of Community is finalized around July 1.

Heller said the contract extension agreement proposal is premature because Upstate has not received permission yet from the state to buy Community. Upstate is expected to file a certificate of need application seeking the state Health Department’s approval later this month. The state’s certificate of need review process typically takes six to 12 months, she said.

“This is supposed to be an open and transparent process and the public should be fully informed before anything is presumed to be a done deal,” Heller said.

Community’s board recently approved an acquisition offer from Upstate, but the hospitals have not disclosed any details of that offer. Heller said the hospitals have not complied with the union’s request for a copy of that offer or a copy of the business plan for the merged hospitals.

Quinn said the hospitals have kept the union in the loop throughout the merger talks.

“We are going fast because this is an important thing we want to complete,” he said. “There are multiple paths we are working on simultaneously. Just because we have some pieces to be determined does not mean there is some sinister or secret plan.”

Community is losing money and patients. That’s why there is a sense of urgency to complete the deal, said Dr. John McCabe, chief executive officer of Upstate University Hospital.

“In the absence of that, 1,100 health care jobs in the Syracuse community will disappear at a time of economic distress and I don’t want that to happen,” he said.

Heller said the union opposes Upstate’s plan to make Community workers state employees. Upstate is a state institution and its workers are represented by different unions. Community is a private nonprofit hospital.

1199SEIU stands to lose members and union dues if the workers become state employees.

1199SEIU wants Upstate to keep it on the Community campus as a way to preserve workers’ benefits and Community’s culture. Heller said long-time Community workers would lose some of their pension benefits if they became state employees.

The union wants Upstate and Community to follow the same model used in a merger in the New York area between Downstate University Hospital in Brooklyn, a state teaching hospital like Upstate, and Long Island College Hospital, a private hospital. Employees of Long Island College Hospital are staying in a separate union and continuing to get the same wages and benefits, according to Heller.

McCabe said if Upstate is going to integrate services across the two campuses it needs to have a uniform work force “from a bargaining and workflow perspective.”

He said Upstate is still working out the details of pensions for Community employees.

McCabe said Upstate is working with the state to ensure that Community workers' pensions and pension benefits will be preserved and figure out how they may transition into the state pension system.

In his letter Quinn also advised employees Community will be legally required to send them a notice in coming months that Community will cease to exist as an employer when Upstate takes over.

“There is a bridge to cross there and there is some worry, there is fear and there is anger. It’s a huge transition to make,” Quinn said. “It’s also important we acknowledge that in Upstate we have a strong partner who is respectful of us.”